Wayne Swan says he should have condemned joke

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TREASURER Wayne Swan says he should have told organisers of a union function that an offensive joke about Opposition Leader Tony Abbott and his female chief of staff was out of line and shouldn't have been said.

Mr Swan was the guest speaker at the dinner for the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) in Parliament House on Wednesday night.

The joke involving Mr Abbott's chief of staff Peta Credlin was told during a comedy routine at the dinner and it followed Prime Minister Julia Gillard's accusations in parliament of the opposition leader being sexist and a misogynist.

It was inserted into the routine at the last minute by the Manic Studios writing team for the comedian, who works under the stage name Allan Billison.

"I didn't want to give it oxygen last night, I didn't want to give an airing last night," Mr Swan told ABC television last night.

"In retrospect it would have been better if I did.

"As I was the guest speaker, I was actually concentrating on my remarks."

Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop says by staying in the room the Deputy Prime Minister had endorsed and condoned it.

billisonSource:Supplied

Ms Bishop told the Nine Network this morning: "I have been told the content of the joke. It was tasteless. It was offensive to Tony Abbot's chief of staff.

"Labor have failed the very test they set for the opposition and Wayne Swan remained in the room after the joke was made ... by Labor's own test they endorsed and condoned the joke."

"He has always been respectful and supportive of me and my other female colleagues."

Mr Swan said the joke was "completely out of order" and it should not have been made.

"I conveyed that view to the organisers this morning," he said.

The treasurer said he couldn't believe it had been said.

"I was actually quite shocked at what he said," Mr Swan said.

"I didn't want to give it a further airing in the open dinner."

Trade Minister Craig Emerson said he left the dinner after the comments were made.

The issue of sexism has been one of the main topics in parliament this week.

Ms Gillard attacked Mr Abbott on Tuesday after he moved a motion declaring Peter Slipper unfit to hold the office of Speaker and should be sacked for the content of a text message sent to staff James Ashby comparing female genitalia to mussels.

Ms Bishop this morning also denied Tony Abbott's leadership was under threat from Malcolm Turnbull.

"Tony Abbott is our leader and he has the full support of the coalition to continue as our leader," she said.